Social-topical adaptive networking (stan) system allowing for cooperative inter-coupling with external social networking systems and other content sources

Abstract

A cross-pollination subsystem is provided within a Social-Topical Adaptive Networking (STAN) system. The cross-pollination subsystem cooperatively interacts with external platforms to bring fresh cross-pollination data to topic nodes or on-topic Notes Exchange rings (TCONE's) of the STAN system. Users are provided with an interface that allows them to browse through the cross-pollinated topic space to thereby connect with online content sources that are likely to correspond to topics of interest currently on the minds of the STAN system users.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cross-pollination urging method for use with a Social-Topical Adaptive Networking (STAN) system and with external platform systems, where the STAN system maintains a topic space populated by unique topic nodes each having topic defining data logically linked thereto, the method comprising:
 instantiating a software agent (e.g., BOT) that is structured to convey potentially new or different, and thus potentially cross-pollinating data signals to the STAN system;   causing the instantiated software agent to begin collecting from the one or more external platform systems, potentially new or different, and thus potentially cross-pollinating data; and   causing the instantiated software agent to begin conveying collected potentially new or different, and thus potentially cross-pollinating data as corresponding data signals to the STAN system.   
     
     
         2 . A machine-implemented, user interface structured to provide a corresponding user with content source recommendations corresponding to topics of interest that are probably currently on the user's mind, said interface comprising:
 (a) a content source recommendation presenting mechanism that can present one or more recommendation-representing objects to the user that are user-activatable and which, when activated by the user will connect the user virtually to corresponding on-topic content, where the recommendation-representing objects indicate at least one of:
 (a.1) the topic of the content source that is being recommended by the object, 
 (a.2) the platform from which the on-topic content of the object is being obtained; 
 (a.3) a topic center to which the on-topic content of the object is logically linked; 
 (a.4) one or more persons to which the on-topic content of the object is logically linked; 
 (a.5) one or more membership groups to which the on-topic content of the object is logically linked; 
 (a.6) a current temperature of an attribute of the object; 
 (a.7) a Notes Exchange type that the on-topic content of the object has; and 
 (a.8) a launchable search BOT that can be launched from a topic node to which the on-topic content of the object is logically linked. 
   
     
     
         3 . The machine-implemented, user interface of  claim 2  wherein the launchable search BOT launches from a node in a cross-pollinated topic space of a Social-Topical Adaptive Networking (STAN) system with which said user interface interfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The machine-implemented, user interface of  claim 2  wherein the topic center indicating object is user activatable and when activated provides the user with a browsing view of a corresponding neighborhood of a corresponding topic center in a cross-pollinated topic space of a Social-Topical Adaptive Networking (STAN) system with which said user interface interfaces. 
     
     
         5 . A machine-assisted process of obtaining one or more answers to questions of potentially esoteric nature, the method comprising:
 (a) submitting a question to a STAN — 2 system question processing program;   (b) interacting with the question processing program so as to converge on one or more topic centers in STAN — 2 topic space whose respective topic or topics are well connected with a topic intended by the posed question;   (c) receiving from the system question processing program a list of Tipping Point Mavens or other consensus-wise elected experts who are logically linked to the converged upon one or more topic centers and whose works of expertise match one or more of keywords, tags and/or URLs associated with the posed question;   (d) picking a subset of the listed experts; and   (e) automatically forwarding the posed question to the selected subset of experts.